


Summer's Hiatus

by christytrekkie



Series: Buffy and the New Blood [2]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Angst, Threats of Rape/Non-Con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-17
Updated: 2014-07-31
Packaged: 2018-02-09 05:32:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1970802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/christytrekkie/pseuds/christytrekkie





	1. Girls Night Out

Disclaimer: I don't own BTVS, it belongs to Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

 

If you haven't read Buffy and the New Blood you won't have a clue what is happening here so go read the series starter first, please. :)

This was only to be one chapter but then it grew into a monster so I had to break it up into chapters. so here's the first very long chapter. Hope you like it.

 

 

Buffy and Jessica had hoped that they would at least have the summer to come to grips with the becoming an integrated family thing, but Joyce decided she wanted a summer wedding and Joseph was seeing to it that everything would go forward to both of their satisfaction. Since Buffy couldn’t have that she’d wanted to at least be by herself during this summer wedding trip that her mom and Joseph had dragged her and Jessica on, maybe even go spend that time with her father Hank. But that wasn’t going to happen since her mom and Jessica’s dad Joseph had seen to it that they were practically in each other’s face since they left for LA to prepare for the wedding. Hence the fact that the two girls shared an elegant two bedroom together in the well-known LA B&B. Their parents hoping that their close proximity to each other would bring them back together. They’d not spoken to one another since their Joseph and Joyce announced their up and coming nuptials and it had been a long tedious ride for the girls as their parents continually tried to get the girls to at least speak to one another.

To Buffy it seemed that her mother found every opportunity to involve both girls in the wedding planning, but the girls seemed hell bent on avoiding contact or conversation with one another. Despite the girls obvious antipathy for one another Joyce found everything she had set in her mind for the wedding in record time. From the beautiful blue dresses for her bridesmaids and maid of honor, which would be to her utmost joy Buffy, Willow and Jessica, to the beautiful hall that she’d seen in several LA wedding settings. It was all happening so fast in Buffy’s mind. 

Joyce’s wedding to Hank Summers had been practically nonexistent, with them saying their vows in front of a justice of the peace in a courtroom. The only witnesses being her sister Sam and cousin Patty. Since Joyce’s mother hadn’t approved of her relationship with Hank to begin with, she along with her father hadn’t attended the nuptials at all and the rub was that her mother was one hundred percent right about the kind of man Hank was. So this time around she’d wanted it to be something special, something that dreams were made of. She’d found a man that honestly cared for her and her daughter and she wanted to marry Joseph Cine with all her heart.

Joseph had almost miraculously booked the beautiful hall on short notice. The wedding was set for three weeks from today with everything in place from the caterer to the bands. Joseph had even asked Oz’s band to play so that more of Buffy and Jessica’s friends could attend the wedding. Even Cordelia Chase was coming, although she had a hidden agenda, cheerleading nationals were right after the wedding and she would see to it that Jessica didn’t back out of it.

Even though they had three weeks before the wedding they went early because Joseph had surprised Joyce with a pre-honeymoon celebration. Three weeks in LA’s Bed & Breakfast to the stars. Dinner every night for a week at Asia DE Cuba, which would also be the location for the reception. He’d also booked something special for the girls later on in the week, partly to get some alone time with Joyce and partly so the girls could try and make up. Joseph wanted Joyce’s wedding to be care free and for the girls to enjoy themselves as well as get along. The mini shopping spree on Rodeo Drive would surely brighten Buffy’s decade.

The end of the week came quickly and both of their parents patience was wearing thin, to the point that Joseph had almost cancelled the shopping spree for the two girls. The nights at the restaurant was filled with thick tension between the girls, even to the point where they had almost broke out into an argument at the table. Which Joseph had immediately nipped in the bud with a look to Jessica that had calmed her down somewhat, Buffy just sat pouting until she looked at the hurt look on her mother’s face and she straightened up quickly. Joyce was so worried for both of them that she couldn’t enjoy her dinner which she’d been looking forward to all day. Joseph was livid, wondering how the girls could be so selfish, couldn’t they see how they were upsetting Joyce. He slowly took a few deep breaths to calm himself, he wouldn’t allow his anger to upset Joyce any further. This was her special time and he was going to make sure she enjoyed it. He looked at the girls eating their dinner quietly and a slow grin formed on his face. He would make sure the girls enjoyed themselves if it killed him or them.

~

The next day Buffy and Jessica were awakened by an alarm blaring in their room. Buffy grumbled as she hit the offending thing a little too hard breaking it into a million pieces. She woke fully and looked sheepishly at the mangled alarm clock, she noticed Jessica sitting up in her bed out of the corner of her eye trying ineffectually to hide her laughter. Buffy rolled her eyes never once glancing in Jessica’s direction as she got up and headed for the bathroom.

Jessica watched as Buffy slammed the bathroom door. Finally prying her eyes away from Buffy’s escape route she turned to look at the destroyed clock. That’s when she noticed the folded piece of paper amongst the ruins. She reached over and picked it up and unfolded it and began to read. With each sentence Jessica’s eyes widened in shock and horror.

“Uhm, BUFFY! I think you should come read this,” Jessica jumped out of the bed and began bamming on the bathroom door.

Buffy swung the door open furiously, wondering what Jessica’s issue was. “Jessica, If you may or may not have noticed, I would like to be alone now,” Buffy eyed Jessica angrily.

Jessica started to get a bit tired of Buffy’s attitude and shoved the note into Buffy’s chest. “Well apparently my father has other plans for us.”

Buffy took the note and began to read it.

_Dear Buffy and Jessica so that you may know, I am very disappointed in the both of you. I would have hoped that you two would take Joyce’s feelings into consideration and help me make this a special time for her. But seeing the two of you not get along and making a complete spectacle of yourselves last night has put a damper on this special occasion and I have made it my endeavor to remedy the situation between the two of you. I have made plans for the two of you to spin the entire day alone together. I have a limo waiting outside to take you to your destinations. An envelope with two credit cards, with a credit limit on them I might add so don’t go overboard ladies, is on the dresser in our room. Please take the time you have today to reconcile your problems for Joyce’s sake. Be the mature young ladies that I expect you to be and deal with your issues. Failure to do so is not an option._

Buffy crumbled the offensive note up in her hand and grumbled, she looked up at Jessica accusingly. Jessica just sighed and walked around Buffy to get to the bathroom.

“We might as well get this over with Buffy, no way to get out of it,” she glanced at Buffy in the doorway and smirked at her befuddlement. “He will know if we do,” she closed the door on Buffy and started to get ready for her trying day.

~

The two girls walked through the bed and breakfast heading to their parent’s room. They entered but their parents were nowhere to be found. Jessica headed over to the dresser and picked up the envelope and opened it. She gave Buffy her card as she put away her own.

“You know, this seems like a payoff to try and make us behave,” Buffy frowned.

Jessica whirled around on Buffy angrily. “You know my dad is not like that Buffy, he’s just trying to get us to get along.”

She sighed and thought about her own behavior and felt ashamed. She’d been wallowing in self-pity and not really caring about her dad’s happiness. He’d finally found someone to make him happy after losing her mom and she the thoughtful daughter that she was not had walked all over that by making him worry about her. 

“Buffy I don’t know if you want to be friends ever again but I’m not going to hold my breath on the matter and I’m definitely not going to make my father or Joyce worry either. Your mom has made my dad the happiest I’ve seen him since my mom past and I am grateful to her for that. So with or without your help I’m going to make the best of this situation between us. You seem to be stuck with me Buffy, I am going to be your step sister pretty soon which to me is not such a bad thing I hope you come to feel the same,” she walked past Buffy and headed out to the limousine waiting for them not giving Buffy a chance to respond.

Buffy just shook her head and followed her out. She had a lot to think about.

The limo driver opened the door for the two young ladies and they both jumped into the back seat. He seemed to be a little wary of them but neither of them noticed that at first. But as Buffy seemed to try to ignore her ill feelings about the Jessica situation and focus on her surroundings her senses began to tingle in a slayery type of way. She looked out the limousine window to scan her surroundings, nothing in particular that would send her slaydar off was in the immediate vicinity and it being early morning hours didn’t really put her in a defensive or wary mood so she shrugged it off.

The driver got into the driver seat and glanced at the two girl through the rear view mirror as he prepared to take off. There was something about these two that made the part of him he would like to forget on edge. Nothing in their outward appearance said dangerous or predator per say, they looked like two carefree girls out on the town, so what on earth would make him so cagey around them. He didn’t know who they were, only that his boss at the soup kitchen owed a friend a favor and he asked him to be chauffeur to two teenaged girls and to keep a close eye on them. He had readily agreed thinking it would be some fast cash. He sighed and shook his head making a somewhat challenging decision to try and squash those feelings of danger for his life. Just another weird reaction of what he truly was that he would have to deal with.

The limo dropped the both of them off on Rodeo Drive and went to find parking. Buffy’s eyes went from put upon to kid in candy store in seconds. Jessica glanced at her and burst out laughing. “You alright there Buffy?”

Buffy straightened up and her original upset look came back, but not so strongly this time as she tried not to give herself whiplash from looking at all the stores before her. The girls spent several hours shopping and gazing at things that were way too expensive for their current budget, and though they really didn’t frequent the same space in each store they went into, the tension between them began to dwindle somewhat as they periodically caught each other’s attention. Surprisingly by the end of the shopping spree it was Jessica that had spent nearly all of her budget while Buffy the more experienced shopper had not only bought more stuff but managed to save a significant amount of money for later use.

As the girls came out of the last store the limo was waiting for them, the driver put their many bags into the trunk of the limo, taking special care with the items Jessica told him were fragile. This time Buffy paid more attention to him as she got that feeling again, her eyes narrowed as she caught his eye and he shivered nervously. He hurriedly got back into the driver seat and locked the door and put up the tinted window divider. The two girls got into the back and he took off to their next destination.

“What the hell was that all about Buffy? Are you trying to scare our driver off or something?” Jessica folded her arms and glared at Buffy, she was hoping that this little outing would wear her hostility thin, but from where she sat it didn’t seem to be working at all. Her father would be disappointed.

“I don’t believe our driver is what he seems to be,” Buffy said as she tried to see through the tinted window. Jessica turned to the window uncertainly, lovely, not only were they going to deal with the situation between them but a supernatural one to boot.

“Are you sure Buffy?” Jessica asked quietly.

“I’m pretty sure,” Buffy said.

Buffy sat there still trying to maintain a level of aloofness but couldn’t manage it very well. This was just great, it was a possibility that they were in an unfavorable situation and here she was enjoying herself way too much, damn Joseph Cine and his shopping therapy.

An hour or so later the driver dropped them off in front of the movie theater. The girls got out and Buffy glanced to the front of the limo, there was no indication that the driver would be getting out anytime soon so she just smiled and turned to ask Jess what she wanted to see.

Jessica and Buffy both looked at the line up off movies and quietly discussed what each might want to see. Jessica being a big Disney movie as well as Greek god fan put in a vote for Hercules, but relented when it was something that Buffy did not want to see. Buffy suggested Speed 2 being a Keanu Reeves fan but changed her mind quickly when Jess told her that Keanu wasn’t even in the sequel. They both agreed that it was a world of no to My Best Friend’s Wedding both having their fill of anything remotely to do with the subject. Finally both decided on Air Force One, as neither wanted to see anything about aliens or dinosaurs at the moment. Jessica kept secret her extreme crush on both Ford and Oldman, and that it had motivated her decision on the matter.

As they bought their tickets, their limo driver watched them warily as they entered the movie theater. Neither he nor the girls noticed the menacing figures in the shadows watching as well.

~

Several hours later the girls came out laughing, suddenly they stopped and looked at each other seriously and yelled.

“GET OFF MY PLANE!” they both went into a fit of giggles again. Buffy thinking how unrealistic movies could be at times while Jessica just thought how hot her two heartthrobs were in this movie. The both of them had thoroughly enjoyed it. Buffy looked up at the time, it was just past six they still had a little time to spare before it got dark. She spotted an ice cream shop across the street and gestured towards the limo driver that that’s where they were heading. She grabbed Jessica’s hand and they both ran across the street and into the heavenly store.

The driver just shook his head and smiled reminding himself that they were just a couple of teenage girls, nothing more. That’s when his head exploded with a mind numbing vision that hit him like a mac truck. He grabbed his head and growled in pain. The vision went in fast forward before him and hit him hard, his two female passengers fought for their lives as a flurry of demons attacked them, the young black girl held her own but you could tell she was way out of her league and soon the demons overtook her, her only saving grace was the blond valley girl that moved like she was possessed, she threw the demons off of the girl took her hand and they both started running. When the vision was over he looked over to the small ice cream shop that his two passengers had went into and to his horror he saw the girls running for their lives, the demons in hot pursuit.

“Shit!” he screamed and to the best of his ability ignored the feeling that his brain had exploded and started the limo and speed off in pursuit of the girls.

Buffy ran as fast as her feet and the slower Jessica could take her. Jessica was a pretty good runner but paled horribly in comparison to a slayer. She knew if they didn’t find shelter soon, they wouldn’t stand a chance against the plethora of demons chasing them. Buffy looked around and noticed a place that looked like an underground bar and she ran towards it hoping that the demons would not follow.

Buffy and Jessica ran into the bar and down the stairs, they stopped in their tracks by what they saw. Both of their jaws dropped as they looked around at a room fool of demons, tall and short, horny and thorny, puss and slime everywhere. Buffy went into a fighting stance as a green demon dressed flamboyantly came up to them grinning.

“Now now young lady,” he looked at her in amusement. “Violence is not permitted or even possible here.”

Buffy’s menacing glare made him laugh out loud, he then turned a concerned look unto Jessica who was slowly backing herself into a corner in fear.

He walked up to her and took her hand, she looked up at him as if for the first time and her eyes widened considerably, but she seemed to calm down as she noticed his kind smile despite his red eyes. She had no idea where or what they had walked into.

“Its okay, no one will hurt you here,” he told her reassuringly.

Wh…what is this place?” She asked as Buffy came over and blocked her from the smiling colorfully dressed demon.

“Oh how rude of me. Where are my manners? This is Caritas, sanctuary to human and demon alike and I am your host Lorne.”

Jessica giggled. “Lorne Green.”

Lorne gave her an amused glance. He was beginning to like this girl, the jury was still out on the little blonde that was staring daggers at him. He could deal with that if those figurative daggers didn’t turn into real ones.

“What brings you two beautiful ladies to my humble establishment?” Lorne asked

Buffy snorted, there were several colorful words she could think off to describe this place and humble was far from any of them.

“Uhm,” Jessica didn’t really want to let the room full of demons know that they were in the process of trying to escape from other demons. She didn’t think that would bode well for their survival, even if this was a sanctuary. 

“We were looking for a place to rest, but you guys seem to be busy so we’ll just get out of your hair,” she grabbed a bewildered Buffy and started to head back where they came but Lorne politely blocked there way.

“I don’t mean to sound like an old eighties movie, but no one leaves here without singing a song,” Lorne knew from the way they’d run into his bar that they had been running from something and from the look on their faces it was a pretty big something and probably more than one. He didn’t feel comfortable sending the young ladies back out there to face what was probably still waiting for them out there.

“What! I don’t sing I slay!” Buffy near yelled causing every demon in the place to stiffen up.

Lorne looked around and giggled nervously. Putting his hands up to try to calm his patrons down. “Its alright folks, as always Caritas remains a sanctuary, sit and enjoy yourselves, the next round of drinks are on me,” he turned and gave Buffy a chastising frown. 

He walked closer to Buffy, which made her flinch, and whispered in her ear. “There’s obviously something chasing you, I’m pretty sure they haven’t followed you inside because they now what type of place this is. I know you don’t want to go back out there anytime soon with your friend here,” he glanced at Jessica. “So to past some of the time…,” he paused and gestured towards the stage and smirked at Buffy who scowled at him.

“After the two of you sing, I’ll see two it Carlos here calls for backup so you can make it home. 

Jessica thought it wasn’t such a bad idea, maybe their pursuers would get bored and leave so they could go home. So she slowly nudged Buffy towards the stage so they could choose a song. Jessica smiled as she noticed one of her favorite songs in the lineup and picked up to the microphone. Jessica held it the mic up between the both of them as the music started to play. They looked out among the mixed crowd of demons and humans, some of them gave them frightened looks while others looked like they wanted to rip into them. As the music began Lorne’s eyebrows rose in surprise.

“Interesting choice,” Lorne smirked.

The Host gestured toward Carlos to go make a call. Carlos went to the back room and made a call to a friend and his crew that had a hand in keeping the demon violence as well as population down. He also took some precautions to protect Caritas, cause if those same friends knew this was a demon hangout it would turn from a hangout to a hunting ground. 

When he set everything in order the girls were well into the chorus of Sam Cooke’s, A Change is Gonna Come and his boss had turned a rather pale shade of green. He couldn’t tell if it was from their singing, choice of song or something he was reading from them. He walked up and put a comforting hand on his shoulder to see what was wrong.

Lorne turned a horrified countenance toward Carlos and closed his eyes, trying to stay upright from the reading he was receiving. “Oh Carlos, please make me a Sea Breeze and do make it stronger than I like it, I really need it to be much stronger than I usually like it. 

Carlos quickly headed behind the bar and made his boss a Sea Breeze as the girls came back over to him trying to hide their obvious joy. Carlos handed the very strong drink over to Lorne and he took it quickly and almost down it in one gulp all the while never taking his eyes off the two fast approaching teenage girls who were still singing and now giggling.

The girls stopped in front of Lorne and the giggles stopped immediately when they noticed the pallid way his face looked, which was a feet given his green color. 

“Are you ok, uhm…,” Jessica paused, not sure how to address him. “Sir?”

Lorne took a moment to finish off his drink and focused his attention on the two girls before him. “Oh, I’m just dandy sweetheart, Just didn’t think I would get paid a visit by the one and only Slayer,” He smiled weakly as Buffy stiffened. Also thinking how surprised she would be when she found out that she wasn’t quite so one and only anymore.

“When you said you slay, I thought you meant something else, color me clueless,” Lorne raised his glass.

Carlos eyed his boss and knew as shocking as having a slayer in his demon establishment was, that was not what was given his boss pause. He’d seen something that worried him and it wasn’t about the slayer.

Buffy came up to Lorne and tried to grab him violently, some invisible force pushed her away.

“Sorry sweety, told you violence is not allowed in Caritas.

“How did you know that?” Buffy growled out.

He reached out for his second glass of Sea Breeze as he began to explain to them how he was an empath demon that could read anyone who sang for him and if they wanted could set them on the path they should go.

Buffy immediately felt infringed upon. How dare this demon try to read her thoughts without her permission. “I don’t believe I asked for or wanted you to attempt to violate me in that way,”

Lorne gulped a bit, the hostility on the girl was palpable and he backed up a little, forgetting for a moment that he was in his sanctuary. “You misunderstand, I don’t read thoughts, I just, how I should put it, I read possible destinies and I help or give advice to those who wish it choose what path is best. Think of it like this. You have several alternate realities of your life before you and certain choices you make lead to each one.” I help guide those choice for the best outcome in that particular person’s life.”

Buffy although still angry, calmed herself down. Jessica seemed intrigued by the mention of alternate realities and the choices you make in life leading you to them. She found that theory damn fascinating and wanted to talk more about it with the green empath demon. But then she noticed her limo driver come through the back of the bar and gesture for them to come quickly. She pointed and Buffy turned and looked at him in relief.

“Sorry to end this very pleasant conversation,” the sarcasm dripped off her sentence like grease dripped off chicken. “Our ride is here, come on Jessica we have to go before those demons realize we’re going out the back,” She glanced at the green demon one last time before she headed towards the limo driver.

Jessica started to follow but Lorne grabbed her hand and put his card in it. “We need to talk soon, when you’re ready give me a call.”

He let go of her hand and she slowly turned around to an impatiently waiting Buffy Summers. What Lorne said next made her freeze in her tracks.

“Look forward to hearing from you Rumpelstiltskin,” she turned to see him smiling at her but before she could say anything Buffy grabbed her hand and forced her out of the demon bar. Lorne’s smile slowly left his face as he thought about what that young woman would go through before she realized what she was. Lorne’s mind reeled at the thought, he didn’t even think they existed, he should have realized that if his kind existed then it was possible that they did to.

“Please call me soon young lady,” Lorne's gaze never left the back exit as Carlos handed him yet another sea breeze. In the background a Nurbatch Demon sang the Doors song The End.

~

The girls and their limo driver all ran out of the exit door and into the alley way where the demons were waiting for them. There went their bright idea of getting to the limo before any of the demons realized they were escaping. One of the demons tried to grab Jessica first and Buffy flew towards it doing a round house kick into its chest and sent it flying fifty feet down the alley way. Another demon attacked her from behind holding her as another stalked up to take her in a frontal assault. Their driver clumsily picked up one of the garbage cans and brought it down atop another demons head. Jessica backed up in fear as another demon advanced on her, Buffy wouldn’t be able to save her this time and the demon knew it. He was practically smiling about it as he backed her into the limousine. 

As he reached out to what he thought was the trapped and helpless girl she dropped down and swept its legs from under it. The demon wasn’t expecting a fight from this girl so he fell hard, before he could get back up Jessica quickly jumped up unto the back of the limo. Buffy could hear her sing songing be aggressive, be ye aggressive as she did a rather high cheerleading flip into the air and landing hard unto the demons head almost crushing its skull.

She smiled triumphantly at her two companions as they also took care of their aggressors. Her smile was short lived as several more demons came around both alley way entrances blocking them in. Buffy quickly ran up the demon in front of her sending it crashing onto the pavement. She flipped herself over the demon holding her and side kicked it into the brick wall with a sickening thud, it slid down the wall unconscious. She grabbed Jessica and was about to head back into the demon bar when she heard an unfamiliar voice yell out.

“Hey, no one invited me and my crew to the party, I’m hurt," The new arrival frowned.

Buffy and Jessica glance behind the advancing demons to see a young black man with a wave cap on. He had six men and two woman with him. They stood in military formation blocking the entrance. The demons turned and growled at them. Buffy thought they were here to get themselves killed, dammit more people to look after.

“That’s alright partner we weren’t invited either, but it’s always fun to crash the party,” Buffy turned and saw another group of men and woman on the other end of the alleyway with another young black man leading them as well.

The demons started to look scared at this point, they knew they couldn’t take the slayer and this group of hunters as well, they all started looking towards Caritas then, it was a sanctuary after all. Before they could even move towards the door the violence started.

“Well hell Charles, let’s get this party started,” The second man yelled.

“Way ahead of you Rondell, said the first man. The two groups yelled and advanced on the now afraid demons. Buffy grabbed one and started beating it to a pulp, she twisted its neck viciously trying to get their numbers down so there would be no human casualties. She be damned if she had these people death on her conscious.

The limo driver pushed Jessica into the back of the limo as Demon heads began to fly as axes made contact. She gazed out of the back of the window in amazement, to see Buffy fight was pure poetry, when she moved there was nothing like it, like Sun Tzu’s book it was the art of war. The group that had come to help were rougher around the edges when it came to fighting but their saving grace is that they worked as a unit, like a well-oiled machine. Each watching the others back.

Before long the demon horde was taken care of and the group of fighters looked at the little blonde with awe. Even though they were engrossed in the fighting none of them had missed the skills of this little petite girl as she took down the demons almost effortlessly, dammit she wasn’t even breathing hard.

The two leaders with their axes draped over their shoulders walked up to Buffy interrupted the little stare fest abruptly. They both looked her up and down sizing her up, and still couldn’t keep the bewilderment out of their faces. Buffy just rolled her eyes, she got that a lot, a little too much if you asked her. 

“Gunn,” the wave cap wearing young man put his hand out to greet her.

Buffy raised an eyebrow at that, did he really call himself gun, that was so cliché.

It was Gunn’s turn to roll his eyes knowing exactly where her mind had went. “My last name, Gunn with two n’s. He took his hand back and eyed her now sheepish face.

Rondell laughed as he looked at his buddy. “Told you that name would get you looks,” Gunn glared at him and Rondell laughed even more. He focused his attention back to the girl.

“So what is Malibu Barbie and the chocolate dipped one doing out here in this demon infested neighborhood.”

“Hey! I resemble that remark,” Jessica yelled out, smiling as she and the limo driver came over to the group. She began to blush furiously as she got a few wolf whistles from some of the crew.

Both Gunn and Rondell turned and glared at their crew. “Cut it, show some respect guys,” the boys immediately shut their trap.

Gunn got a good look at her and really couldn’t blame his crew, she and the blond were cute little things hence his bewilderment of how they were so effectively keeping those big as demons at bay. “I got a call from a friend that there were a couple of helpless girls who needed help with a demon problem, imagine me and my crews surprise when we find you and you are nowhere near helpless.” 

“Well although I’m glad that chivalry is not dead, damsel in distress went out of style a long long time ago,” Buffy got a good look at his crew and frowned, they couldn’t be older than twenty years old some of them. Others looked to be mid-teens. How had they ended up demon hunters at such a young age and where were their parents? When she got the chance she would bring this up to Giles.

Gunn smiled at her comment and shook his head. “Well it’s an honor to meet a woman that can back up that statement, I think the two of you should head home before more of these creepers show up,” he kicked one of the dead ones for emphasis.

Buffy nodded in agreement and ushered Jessica towards the limo, with a nervous driver in tow. “It was nice meeting you and your crew, I think you should follow your own advice and get out of dodge.”

“You don’t have to worry about us, we’re like the guardian angels of the supernatural world. We’ll be fine,” Rondell smiled at them.

“Wait a minute,” Jessica broke away from Buffy and walked up to the two of them. “How do we get a hold of you if we ever need your help again?”

Gunn smiled and grabbed her hand and wrote something in the palm of her hand. “Go home,” he turned her and gently pushed her towards and exasperated Buffy. 

They both got into the limo and drove off, by the time they reached their destination both girls were exhausted. Buffy looked up at their limo driver who was watching them with concern.

Buffy sighed, her slayer senses were still going haywire in his presence. It was obvious that he was something other than human, but he had helped them get home safely and that counted for something. 

“Thank you,” she paused waiting for his name.

“Doyle, names Doyle,” he said in a thick Irish accent.

“Thank you, Doyle,” she smiled at him and proceeded to get out.

Jessica looked at him with mirth in her eyes, “See you around lucky charms,” she laughed as he rolled his eyes at her and then she bolted from the limo.

As they got out of the limo both girls were talking and smiling, neither realizing the couple that watched them from their patio outside of their bedroom. As the two went inside Joyce bent over to give Joseph, her to be husband a deep meaningful kiss. He was quite winded by the time she finished. “Thank you for that my love.”

~

Buffy stood in her room at the bed and breakfast. Jessica sat on one of the beds letting her legs swing freely as she listened to Buffy pace quietly back and forth behind her. They had had quite a trying day, with the shopping and the movies and the running for their lives. At least no one had died this time and they’d actually come home on time with their parents being none the wiser. She looked at Jessica who sat quietly waiting for her to say something. She sighed and thought about what happened to them in the Masters lair. Buffy knew she was being unreasonable, it was that damn prophecy that said Buffy would die at the hands of the master and what had happened wasn’t Jessica’s fault. That wasn’t even what was keeping Buffy at a distance. What had given her pause was that Jessica had almost died with her. It was too late to keep Xander and Willow out of her supernatural life and that worried her enough. She’d be damn if she dragged Jessica along for the bloody ride. Especially now that she would become her step sister.

Jessica just wanted her friend back but knew that the ball was in Buffy’s court and that she had to wait her friend out. She wouldn’t be pushy like her father and Joyce seemed to be taking things. But she wouldn’t hold her breathe either, if Buffy didn’t want her in her life she wasn’t going to force the issue. The Cine household may become unbearable in the future if things didn’t give somewhat.

Jessica and Buffy looked at each other simultaneously and their breathe caught. Neither wanted to be caught looking or giving an inch, but when both saw the hurt and tired looks on the others face something in their heart gave just an inch.

“Buffy,” Jessica voice broke up as she spoke.

“Jessica,” Buffy said overlapping Jessica’s voice.

They both smiled and Buffy’s gaze softened significantly. Jessica nodded for Buffy to go first.

“I don’t know where we can go from here Jess, but were going to be family fairly soon. We can’t keep avoiding the big elephant in the room and as it is now I can’t seem to keep you out of the loop. I’d like to explain the reason I did what I did. When I saw your lifeless body, after I was brought back I was devastated, I’d gotten another one of my friends killed. Then I got angry because I didn’t get to really mourn what happened to me because of the Master, Then I felt guilty because I was angry at you for something you had no control over. Jessica I can’t keep you out of my life, I don’t even want to do that but I can keep you out of the crap that got us both killed,” Buffy looked indignant daring Jessica to argue the logic she spoke.

A river of tears flowed down Jessica’s face. She’d gotten it all wrong, Buffy didn’t hate her she was just afraid for her. She’d felt she was the one to blame for all that went down. Her heart went out to Buffy for the weight that Buffy must have felt, to try to carry the load of someone else’s crime. That was going to stop if she had anything to say about it, and she did a shitload of something to say about it. Dammit if she could she would kill that Master bastard all over again for giving her friend such a guilt complex.

“Buffy, first of all let’s put the blame for all this where it rightfully belongs. Which is not on your shoulders but the Masters,” she put a hand up and gave Buffy an irritated look as she started to interrupt her. 

“Let me finish. Second I am extremely relieved that you finally talked to me about all this and that you don’t hate me for what happened, that is a weight of my shoulders. Third, and Buffy I really want you to listen to what I’m saying. Evil is out there and it is killing innocent people, I as a human being can’t turn my back on that, I couldn’t live with myself if I did. Buffy these things we’re after me for some reason way before I knew that you were the slayer and I don’t believe they will stop because I choose to ignore it. I won’t stand by and do nothing while people are being murdered, I’m not wired that way, and last but not least I am happy to be called your friend and soon to be family,” Jessica beamed and gave Buffy a goofy Cheshire cat grin.

Buffy sighed and laughed out loud at Jessica’s antics. They’d talk about her involvement in the slayer part of her life later. Jessica had held her own tonight but she still didn’t want to put the girl in any unnecessary danger. Jessica was more of a demon magnet than Xander and that was saying something. Right now though they had a wedding to attend and two parent’s happiness to see to. She smiled, this family thing might not be such a bad thing after all.

Later on that night Jessica wrote the information Gunn had given her into her book, she planned on telling her dad about this group and how they were helping people, editing some of the supernatural stuff of course. She would see to it this crew would get their just deserts.

 

 

Next chapter The Wedding & a shocking reveal.


	2. Wedding bells And A Girl's Hell

Warning: Sexual content, Mention of rape. upped rating for this chapter.

 

Joyce sat at the breakfast nook of the Bed and breakfast on cloud nine, her new family was finally coming together in harmony. Thanks to her soon to be husband everything between the girls was resolved because of his intervention. For a while there she felt that she may have forced the wedding on the two girls a little too soon and her guilt had gotten the better of her until she stopped to realize that she deserved some happiness in her life. With her failed marriage to the always absent and less than a man Hank Summers and the challenge of Buffy’s breakdown, life for Joyce Summers had been less than rosy. 

She’d thought long and hard on her relationship with Joseph and where and how fast she should take it and though it had moved rather quickly she found that she adored this man. Although Joyce had initially been wary about bringing a ready-made family into her and her daughter’s life Joseph had shown nothing but the utmost respect and care for her and Buffy. Even calming her down when that insufferable Assistant Principal Snyder called her time and time again to gripe about Buffy’s behavior, sending her into a panic that Buffy was doing a repeat performance of her nightmarish Hemry year.

She’d been ready to lite into Buffy and ground her until she was forty five when Joseph sat her down and told her to give Buffy the benefit of the doubt, and that some teachers tend to judge their students on past behavior and never even look to notice that they have grown up a little. That had calmed her down somewhat but what he told her next gave her some much needed peace of mind.

“Joyce ever since that horrible incident happened within the school I have taken it upon myself to make my presence known, and let me tell you, you should take everything that little bast….,” he paused and took a much needed breath before he said something he would regret, well not so much regret but he really should watch his language in front of a lady.

“Take everything Snyder says with a grain of salt, which means don’t believe a damn thing he says about your daughter. I had a meeting with him and Flutie and it took all I had not to deck the little weasel where he stood. I have it on good authority that your daughter is doing her best and her classmates minus some of the more mean girls consider her one of their class protectors, whatever that means,” He laughed. He continued when he literally saw some of the tension leave Joyce’s shoulders.

“We have to remember when we were their age honey, all the difficulties of growing up that we had to go through and the pressures. I’d like to say that I’ve gotten to know your daughter in the time that we’ve been together and she is a remarkable young lady, I admire her integrity and courage as well as her choice in friendships. You Joyce Summers have raised a beautiful and intelligent young lady and don’t let anyone tell you any different,” he brought her in for a comforting hug as tears formed in her eyes. His eyes then caught sight of a fleeing blond that had just witnessed their conversation.

Joyce smiled at the memory as the girls finally came out of their bedrooms and sat down beside her. Joyce looked at them quizzically, she wondered for hours on end what they had gotten up to on yesterday for neither of them succeeded in getting up until mid-afternoon. Even now they seemed to be exhausted from last night’s escapade, well at least Jessica did, and Buffy just seemed to be following her lead. She served them lunch as Buffy talked animatedly to a still mostly tired Jessica. Joyce chuckled a bit when Jessica fell into her lunch face first falling asleep at the table. Buffy spit her juice out as she laughed hysterically at her friend. My goodness how much sleep did she actually need at this point Joyce thought to herself as she eyed Jessica curiously. Little did Joyce know that Jessica hadn’t slept a wink last night because she was trying to avoid having a recurring nightmare that was causing her much anguish.

Jessica smiled weakly while nibbling on the wonderfully delicious sandwich Joyce made for her, well aware of her soon to be step moms concern. She wondered silently when she would finally be rid of the baggage that the Master had seen fit to gift her. Jessica tiredly excused herself from the table and her semi-finished sandwich, to Joyce’s worry, and made her way to her next destination. The cheerleading competition Cordelia Chase had wrangled the squad into. Oh joy.

~&~

The day had finally arrived and everyone was running about frantically, the girls had hair and nail appointments within the hour while the boys were making sure there suits and ties were in place and that they would be at the hall on time ready and waiting for the auspicious occasion to take place. 

Some of Joseph family started arriving yesterday and had been accumulating on regular intervals every few hours, the last and most important member had arrived about an hour ago. His best man and his beloved nephew Derek Morgan. He would have arrived much sooner but had just finished up his 28 weeks of Police academy and bomb training and got a last minute flight from Chicago to California.

He’d told his Uncle several weeks earlier that come hell or high water he would be at his wedding and meet the woman that had stolen his heart so completely and rather quickly. Joseph laughed heartily when his nephew told him he looked forward to seeing how whipped he’d become.

When Derek arrived he was accosted by a gorgeous but young girl with long dark locks and a smile that would hurt your heart. He’d heard her say something about salty goodness and had turned to her with a stunning flirtatious smiles of his own, until he’d seen how young she was. Then he just raised an eyebrow at the girl and smirked thinking how much his fellow officers would tease him for almost going after jail bait.

He finally came out of his thoughts and focused on what the girl was saying. She had briefly introduced herself as Cordelia Chase and then went into a full page dissertation about her life. He wanted to burst into laughter at the princess before him but thought that would be a bit rude and that was not Derek Morgan’s style. He listened for a bit longer before he politely interrupted her, because there seemed to be no end or break to her speech, to introduce himself.

“Hello young lady, my name is Derek Morgan, I’m looking for my Uncle and groom to be Joseph Cine. Would you happen to know where he is?” His eyebrow rose even more when she seemed to be disappointed. Whether it was what he’d asked or that he’d interrupted her long winded speech about herself he couldn’t tell. She eyed him with new found disinterest and waved towards the bedrooms.

“I believe he is in his room getting ready,” she then walked off not giving him another glance.  
He snorted in amusement as he watched her curvy figure walk off. “Damn, all the good ones are way too damn young.”

“Derek! My little nephew,” Derek broke out into a wide grin as his well-dressed uncle took him into a tight manly embrace. “How have you been?”

“Everything’s going good. Just finished my 28 wk. stint and I am ready to dive head first into the wide world of the death squad, and by the looks of it so are you Uncle Joseph,” He smiled and patted him on the back to let him know he was joking, somewhat.

“Married life is not the bomb squad Derek, you really should try it sometime, find you a good woman to settle down with. Let her make an honest man out of you,” Joseph Cine burst out laughing at the look of outright horror on his nephews face as he shook his head profusely.

Derek put his hands up to discourage any more talk about him and marriage. “I’m not even remotely interested in tying myself down like that.”

“Never say never nephew, miracles happen all the time and I still believe in the day that I will see Derek Morgan married with kids,” Derek let his favorite uncle lead him through the bed and breakfast to introduce him to part of his new family as he shuttered at the thought of married life. He was tackled by a squealing form before they could get far.

“Derek you made it, I’m so happy to see you,” Jessica held unto her cousin as if her life depended on it. She hadn’t seen him since they moved from Chicago to Sunnydale and she had missed him dearly.

“How are you? How was the academy? Anyone new in your life? Is she here with you? I want to meet her? Jessica kept rambling off question after question in rapid fire making her dad and her cousin dizzy in the process.

“Wow baby girl. Did you forget to take a breath during that interrogation?” Derek laughed as his hug deepened.

Jessica blushed and finally let go of him as she smiled sheepishly. “Sorry Derry, I just missed you so much.”

Derek groaned at the pet name that Jessica had seen fit to call him ever since she could form words. “How’s everything going with you? Have you acclimated to your new surroundings and school well?”

“Yeah, amazingly well. I’m the new mascot on the cheerleading squad,” This got a chuckle out of Derek as Jessica moaned and continued on. “As a matter of fact we won second place at the national cheer competition a couple of days ago. It would have been third but one of the teams got disqualified for some illegal maneuver or something or other,” Jessica grimaced as she saw Cordelia frown at her, remembering that Cordelia told the whole squad not to mention the reason for their second place standing. She smiled sheepishly at her captain as she intertwined her arm with her cousin and dragged him to introduce him to her friends. 

Cordelia rolled her eyes at Jessica’s retreating form thinking that she would have to keep that girl and her big mouth on a tighter leash and maybe a muzzle.  
~  
With the arrival of Xander and Willow and Giles the Sunnydale crew were now inseparable. The group minus Giles sat in the bedroom at the bed and breakfast laughing and giggling with an exasperated Xander silently wishing that he had more guy friends to tone down all the estrogen build up.

“The two of you sang at a demon bar and a green demon dressed in a yellow suit read your thoughts!” Willow squealed in disbelief. Buffy looked at Willow seriously and then burst out laughing at the absurdity of it all.

“Yeah it was,” Buffy stopped and tried to think of a word that would even remotely do justice to that faithful night and failed. “Well it was just weird,” she understated.

“Ya think,” Xander looked at her and smiled.

They continued to laugh and joke telling each other of the part of the summer they spent apart, Xander and Willow told several stories of the two of them along with Giles keeping Sunnydale safe and while she was gone. Buffy frowned at several close calls they tried to glance over quickly as she listened intently. 

“You guys really need to be more careful while I’m away, I really don’t want anything happening to the three of you. Slaying is my job, Watcheryness, research and donuts are yours,” Buffy frowned.

Xander just waved off Buffy’s concern while Willow blushed slightly. “We know Buffy, but someone had to hold down the fort while you were gone and we really do take every precaution. Giles sees to that.” Willow tried to abate Buffy's worries.

Buffy started to argue but Jessica walked in with a gorgeous hunk of milk chocolate rant in its tracks. Buffy sat with her mouth open and drool slowly made its way down her chin just a bit before she realized what she was doing. It really was a sin for someone to look that good, she said to herself. Buffy looked over to a now red faced Willow to see she was in the same predicament and smirked. She shook herself out of her inappropriate lust fest as Jessica introduced her cousin to them. 

Xander perked up a little, a little added testosterone amongst the ever present estrogen never hurt. He was happy until he saw the looks on the faces off his girls. They never looked at him like that, not even Willow when she was Xander crushing. He frowned and then shook himself, snap out of it Harris, at least it’s not dead boy.

He went over to shake Derek Morgan’s hand and gave him a genuine smile. “Glad to have another male in the flood of female power.”

“I hear you man,” Derek laughed, it hadn’t passed his attention that the female population at this celebration outweighed the males by 10 to 1. Even with the male heavy Cine side of the family present.

The girls all rolled their eyes at them. “As if a lot of females in one place bother either of you. I saw you making time with Cordelia out their Derek,” Jessica said in amusement.

All of the Sunnydale looked at Derek as if he had just fallen into a pit of vipers and was in desperate need of immediate rescue.

Xander gripped his hand a little tighter as Derek raised an eyebrow wondering what had happened. “Don’t go there man, that way lies madness and endless torment."

Derek laughed again and politely changed the subject of him flirting with underage girls at his uncles wedding. He said a few more platitudes to the four friends before it was high time for all of them to head to the wedding hall. Time to tie the uncle down to the ball and chain. Although if the older Mrs. Summers looked anything like the younger, he was sure that his uncle wouldn’t mind if he was chained, tarred, feathered or whipped. Derek smiled to himself.

~

The wedding hall was full to capacity with family and friends waiting patiently for the proceedings to begin. The hall was decorated in splashes of blue and gold upon its white backdrop and a beautiful staircase which everyone awaited the bride to flow down in all her splendor and glory. The hall filled with the voices of the excited guests as they talked and gazed at their magnificent surroundings, everywhere they looked there was an eye catching marvel to behold from the wide arched doorways that ran along the top of the staircase to the bottom, to the standing candelabras that littered the floors of the hall. There were several oohs and ahhs as the mesmerized guests didn’t really know where to look first.

The voices began to quiet down as the soft music began to play, heralding the start of the big event. Several eyes began to water as they recognized the song immediately. Buffy was the first to enter, Giles took one look at his slayer and had to turn away quickly as his eyes filled with moisture. My Endless love played as she walked down the staircase in her beautiful blue bridesmaid’s dress that showed off her stunning legs. She was trying to hold back a few tears of her own on her mother’s big day.

Next down the staircase was an obviously tearful Willow in her full length blue stunner that tied around her neck, Xander smiled at how beautiful she looked as she tried to wipe a stray tear away from her face. She glanced at him and almost lost it completely as she walked on to stand by Buffy who held her hand in support.

Jessica was next, she wore a form fitting blue dress that rose above the knee in the front and met at her mid-calf in the back. As she walked the length of the staircase her eyes were fixed on her father with a smile and free flowing tears as she reached her destination she walked over to her father and gave him a kiss and a quick hug and then took her place beside willow as she wiped away her tears.

As the song playing died, the wedding march began to play and everyone gasped in delight as a blonde haired beauty became the center of attention in her stunning strapless beige princess wedding gown laced with bead-work. Joyce Summers Slowly made her way down the staircase and towards her husband to be who was crying fully now along with his best man. She took her place with Joseph and intertwined their hands as the preacher began the ceremony. 

An hour later found Mr. and Mrs. Cine dancing in front of a mesmerized crowd as Etta James' At last played.  
Jessica glanced at the happy couple and then to a crying Buffy. She smiled and thought she really couldn’t ask for a better family to be a part of. 

[](http://photobucket.com/)

~&~

As all the excitement ended, everyone said their goodbyes and called it a night. Willow and Xander had both wanted to stay but Giles had promised their parents that he would have the children home tonight so the disappointed duo begrudgingly went home with Giles.

Jessica fell into a deep sleep; the talk with Buffy had cleared her mind tremendously and the days events had tired her out. She hadn’t realized how much the rift between her and Buffy had weighed on her soul. She felt ten times lighter and all she could do now was sleep from the exhaustion of it all. It was like being in such pain that it made you curl up like a fetus, pain that felt like someone was cutting you from tip to sternum, pain like being gutted from the inside out, then suddenly it all just stops and the dull throbbing from the echoes of the pain you felt disappear and the peace and absence of pain slowly loll you into a deep sleep. She smiled at the thought until she felt the tug of her hair being pulled.  
 __  
She opened her eyes in fright, she was being pulled by her hair through a cemetery. Jessica tried to reach up to dislodge the hand tangled in her locks but his grip was too strong and painful. She looked up to get a good look at her captor and her heart stopped beating, the Master had her in his grips again dragging her off into the woods. She looked at her surrounding and realized she was in Billy’s nightmare world again reliving that horrific moment with the Master. She had to be dreaming, please God let this be a dream. She thought to herself  
.  
The Master looked down at her as if reading her thoughts. “Dreams are wishes that your heart makes, I want to explore your deepest horrors,” the Master let go of her hair and pounced upon her, pinning her to the hard ground with his body. His red lips inches away from hers he smiled and gently caressed her hair as she squirmed beneath him. He breathed her scent in deeply and quivered with pleasure.

_“We never got to explore what you’re true horrors are Jessica, I’d like to remedy that,” he smiled as he went in for her neck._

_Jessica stiffened as she prepared herself for the bite that never came. She became sick with the realization of what he was doing. She shivered with disgust as he trailed wet kisses down her neck line; she increased her resistance against him and tried to pry him off her. The Master violently began to rip the little clothes she had left off her, focusing more on the little bikini bottom she had on. She screamed out in pain as his forcefulness began to bruise and injure her body. As he ripped the protection away from her she started to become relieved. This was the moment that Buffy had rescued her by stopping the nightmare world. This would stop any moment now, she waited and waited… ‘Oh God NO!’_

_Her world shut down as she felt the sharp pain of the Master forcing himself inside her. The pain was so much that she couldn’t even force a scream out of her mouth. She squeezed her eyes shut as dark spots appeared before her._

_‘No, no NOOOO! Buffy stopped this from happening, this isn’t real. Wake up Jessica, WAKE UP!’ Jessica was screaming in her head._

_“Oh the pure horror and such fear, it’s like an aphrodisiac to me” the Master smiled down at her as he drove himself inside her. “I don’t believe I had any better Jessica my sweet, not even when I was alive.”_

_Jessica cried out underneath him as he deepened his thrust inside her. She closed her eyes tightly just wishing it would be over quickly. How could this be happening? Jessica somehow got her hand free of him and reached up and grabbed his face to get him off of her. To her misfortune and horror the Masters face just slid off into her hands and when she looked up at her rapist it wasn’t the Master any longer but the last person on the face of the earth that she thought would do this to her._

_He looked down at her angrily. “You’re going to pay for that!” he went for her neck and bit down._

_Jessica let out a blood curdling scream that seemed to last forever._

[ ](http://photobucket.com/)


End file.
